Clamping band

ABSTRACT

A clamping band comprising an ear part, a channel part, an extension pat and a hook part at an area where an external band part and an internal band part are overlapped, wherein the channel part comprises: a central part and two external parts divided by two strength-adjusting slots formed along a lengthwise direction of the damping band; a first stair part formed at the central part; and a second stair parts each slantly formed at a predetermined angle at two external parts along a direction the channel part enters into the central part, such that fastening power can be easily obtained by simple handling while length of material necessary for manufacturing the clamp band can be greatly reduced, thereby saving the material cost effectively.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a clamping band, and more particularly to a clamping band adapted to seal boots which protect constant velocity (CV) joints used in vehicles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Clamping bands are well known in the industry, which are primarily used to continuously maintain a shrunk state of various hoses in the diametric direction. One of these kinds of clamping bands has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,012 (Hans Oetiker).

[0003] Hans Oetiker discloses an ear part 100, a channel part 102, an extension part 104 and a hook part mounted at an area where an external band part 106 and an internal band part 108 are overlapped, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0004] The channel part 102 are formed with a central part 114 and two external parts 116 by cut-out parts 112, and the two external parts 116 are formed with the first stair part 118 while the central part 114 is formed with the second stair pat 120. There is also another embodiment where the cut-out parts 112 are not used to form the channel part 102 and the central part 114 is completely removed to form a hole.

[0005] The extension part 104 is formed narrowly and lengthily at an end of the internal band part 108 so as to be inserted into a caved-in part defined by the central part 114 at the channel part 102, while a connecting part between the internal band part 108 and the extension pat 104 is cut out at right angle.

[0006] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the extension part 104 is fully lengthened so as to be inserted into the central part 114 of the channel part 102 without the ear part 100 being changed in shape and with only hooks 122 and 124 coupled in temporary hook-up.

[0007] The hooks 122 and 124 at the hook part 110 are comprised of a support hook 122 and a suspension hook 124. The support hook 122 serves to support a lengthwise tension of the clamping band, while the suspension hook 124 functions as a guide lest a free end of the external band part 106 should be distracted from a center of the internal band part 108 and can be abutted onto an external surface of the internal band part 108.

[0008] The extension part 104 should be lengthy enough so as to be inserted into the central part 114 at the channel part. Furthermore, the hooks 122 and 124 at the hook part should be formed with separate support hook 122 and suspension hook 124.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a clamping band adapted to easily obtain a desired fastening power with a simple manipulation and to enable to shorten the entire length of material needed for manufacturing thereof, thereby reducing manufacturing cost greatly.

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a clamping band comprising an ear part, a channel part, an extension pat and a hook part formed at an area where an external band part and an internal band part are overlapped. The channel part comprises a central part and two external parts divided by two strength-adjusting slots formed along a lengthwise direction of the damping band, a first stair part formed at the central part, and a second stair parts each slantly formed at a predetermined angle at two external parts along a direction the channel part enters into the central part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a structure of a clamping band according to the prior art;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a temporary coupled state of the clamping band shown in FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 111-111 of FIG. 2;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clamping band according to the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the clamping band shown in FIG. 4;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of an external band part and an internal band part of the clamping band of FIG. 4 observed from above;

[0018]FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a temporary coupled state of the clamping band shown in FIG. 4; and

[0019]FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of the clamping band shown in FIG. 7 observed from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the clamping band 13 according to the present invention, like the prior art, principally includes an ear part 1, a channel part 3, an extension part 5 and a hook part 11 at an area where an external band part 7 and an internal band part 9 are overlapped.

[0021] The channel part 3 comprises a central part 17 and two external parts 19 divided by two strength-adjusting slots 15 formed along a lengthwise direction of the clamping band 13, a first stair part 21 formed at the central part 17, and a second stair parts 23 each slantly formed at a predetermined angle at the two external parts 19 along a direction the extension part 5 enters into the channel part 3.

[0022] That is, the second stair parts 23 are inclined along an advancing direction of the extension part 5 so that a gap between the second stair parts 23 may get narrowed, such that the extension part 5 can easily enter into the interior of a space formed by the central part 17 of the channel part 3 and the external part 19.

[0023] When the clamping band with the second stair parts 23 changes from a temporary coupled state to a fully coupled state, center lines of the internal band part 9 and the external band part 7 become fully accorded therebetween by way of the second stair part 23, even though the internal band part 9 and the extension part 5 are not long enough.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 7, the free end of the extension part 5 in a temporary coupled state is automatically introduced into the space formed by the central part 17 and the external part 19 by way of the second stair part 23, even though the free end of the extension part 5 is not previously inserted into the space, thereby reducing the overall length of the internal band part 9 and the extension part 5 to save the material cost, compared with the prior art.

[0025] The slot 15 dividing the central part 17 and two external parts 19 is designed to provide a similar flexibility with the channel part 3 as that of other parts at the clamping band in order to prevent drop in seating adaptability against an object to be coupled when the channel part 3 is locally reinforced in strength thereof by the shape of the second stair part 23, such that an adequate shape can be empirically and experimentally formed to enable to obtain a sufficient needed seating adaptability.

[0026] Of course, in case the seating adaptability is not greatly needed, a simple cut-out part as in the prior art will do.

[0027] The extension part 5 is formed with a slanted cut-out part 25 corresponding in angle thereof to the second stair part 23, thereby allowing the entire length of the clamping band to the shortened for reduction of material cost and conformity of center lines at the internal band pat 9 and the external band part 7 to be further completely accomplished.

[0028] If the extension part 45 is cut at right angle relative to the internal band part 9 as in the prior art, coupling cannot be realized with abutment to the thus-angled second stair part 23, such that a slanted cut-out part 25 cut out at a predetermined angle corresponding to that of the second stair part 23 is equipped to allow the slanted cut-out part 25 to closely abut to the second stair part 23 in a complete coupled state of the clamping band.

[0029] When the slanted cut-out part 25 is closely abutted to the second stair part 23, the state, where central lines of the internal band part 9 and the external band part 7 are automatically coincided, is further secured, such that lengths of the channel part and the extension part needed for providing power for guidingly according to the centers of the internal band part 9 and the internal band part 7 thus described can be shortened as compared against the prior art.

[0030] Hooks 27 mounted at the hook part 11 include hold part 29, protrusive bent parts 31 successively formed at each hole part 29 so as to be protruded from the outer surface of band 13, protrusive hitching part 33 protruded along a lengthwise direction of the clamping band from the protrusive bent part 31 into the hole part 29 and caved-in coupling part 35 formed at the protrusive bent part 31 and the protrusive hitching part 33 so that the protrusive hitching part 33 can be inserted.

[0031] Each hook 27 is placed at the internal band part 9 and the external band part 7 in opposite direction for corresponded coupling.

[0032] In the present embodiment, two hooks 27 are mounted at respective internal band part 9 and the internal band part 7 in opposite direction each other.

[0033] It is preferable that the caved-in coupling part 35 is naturally formed when the protrusive bent part 31 and the protrusive hitching part 33 are pressed to be protruded out of the outer surface of the band 13. It is also preferable that heights of the protrusive bent part 31 and the protrusive hitching part 33 protruded from the outer surface of the band 13 are as high as the thickness of the band 13 or do not exceed the thickness of the band 13.

[0034] The hooks 27 are coupled with corresponding opposite hooks 27 whereby the two protrusive bent parts 31 are inserted into the opposite caved-in coupling parts 35. A coupled state between the protrusive bent parts 31 and the caved-in coupling parts 35 restricts mutual movement relative to directions except for the opposing direction of the coupling, such that the clamping band according to the present invention performs the function of a suspension hook disclosed in the prior art where the internal band part 9 and the internal band part 7 are coupled to restrict a relative movement to a direction where the clamping band is expanded at diameter thereof, while the clamping band according to the present invention provides a power for maintaining a center-aligned state between the internal band part 9 and the external band part 7 and a power for preventing the free end of the external band part 7 from getting wider toward the outside of the internal band part 9.

[0035] The hooks 27 can be formed adjacent to the ear part 1 to allow the ear part 1 to be shortened in length thereof up to the free end of the external band part 7, as it is sufficient that the protrusive bent part 31 and the protrusive hitching part 33 at the hooks 27 are protrusive enough as high as the thickness of the band 13 or high enough as not to surpass the thickness of the band 13, and as there is hardly any portion protruding out of the surface of the band 13 when the hooks 27 are coupled, thereby eliminating the fear of being interfered by a tong used for changing the shape of the ear part 1.

[0036] As a result, one pair or more of hooks 27 is enough for restricting a temporary coupled state of the clamping band, thereby enabling to shorten the needed length of the band 13 and to save material cost.

[0037] As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the clamping band thus described according to the present invention in that fastening power can be easily obtained by simple handling while length of material necessary for manufacturing the clamp band can be greatly reduced, thereby saving the material cost effectively. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A clamping band, the band composed of an ear part, a channel part, an extension pat and a hook part at an area where an external band part and an internal band part are overlapped, wherein the channel part comprises: a central part and two external parts divided by two strength-adjusting slots formed along a lengthwise direction of the clamping band; a first stair part formed at the central part; and a second stair parts each slantly formed at a predetermined angle at the two external parts along a direction the channel part enters into the central part.
 2. The clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein the extension part is provided with a slanted cut-out part corresponding in angle thereof to the second stair parts.
 3. The clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein hooks mounted at the hook part comprises: hold part; protrusive bent part successively formed at the hole part so as to be protruded from the outer surface of the clamping band; protrusive hitching part protruded along the lengthwise direction of the clamping band from the protrusive bent part to the hole part; and caved-in coupling pat formed at the protrusive bent part and the protrusive hitching part for the protrusive hitching part to be inserted into. 